Official Jessica Watson Blog
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Mostly just the usual out here today, still flying along really nicely, any tips on avoiding speed cameras?! A few squalls have kept me busy reefing in and out and I spent a lot of my down time today catching up on a little sleep after being kept awake last night with a passing boat and a few little squalls.
You've probably noticed on the tracker that we've been passing the odd island but nothing compared to what's coming up next week as we reach French Polynesia, I'm enjoying the sea room while it lasts!
I'm not sure how best to put this but a lot of people have been wondering and asking so here goes; yes, it's definitely me writing these blogs! Having someone blog under my name is a big no go for me. Can you imagine letting your Mum or anyone else describe your feelings to the world under your name? Ouch! Well maybe it's just a teenage thing! But I do have to confess, my updates have to be spell checked before being published. My spelling is, can we just say a little notorious!
While I'm on a roll with these confessions, I've got another one for you too. Sorry everyone, but I don't just blog to satisfy your curiosity, but also because I love writing them!
Oh and yes I did open that can of mangoes and quite a few cans after that! I've been justifying my total mango pig out by telling myself that as a tropical fruit the mangoes need to be eaten while still in the tropics. There's plenty of other treats stashed away for the cooler legs.
Everyone back home is out having fun at the local Christmas lights parade tonight (I'm a little jealous but right here on Ella's Pink Lady is still my first preference). So, not to be outdone, I think I'll have another movie night with plenty of popcorn and chocolate. Anyway the stars out here would easily get first prize in any competition!
Jesse
Recent Posts
- Only Six Weeks Until Our Exciting Campaign Starts!
- The Mini Fastnet, Turning 18 and World Food Programme Youth Ambassador
- Our Youth Should Have A Voice!
- Study, Ella’s Pink Lady and New Zealand
- Introducing The New Project!
- Bilbies, Bike Rides and Other Events
- Jessica the Bilby!
- Young Australian of the Year & Germany!
- Lion’s Club Fundraiser for the Flood Appeal this Sunday
- Happy New Year, Sailing & QLD Floods
Archive
- August 2011 (1)
- June 2011 (1)
- April 2011 (2)
- March 2011 (1)
- February 2011 (3)
- January 2011 (2)
- December 2010 (2)
- November 2010 (2)
- October 2010 (2)
- September 2010 (3)
- August 2010 (5)
- July 2010 (2)
- June 2010 (3)
- May 2010 (9)
- April 2010 (12)
- March 2010 (13)
- February 2010 (16)
- January 2010 (18)
- December 2009 (20)
- November 2009 (26)
- October 2009 (19)
- September 2009 (10)
- August 2009 (14)
- July 2009 (19)
- June 2009 (14)
Comments
Good to see your charging along and enjoying your time out there, let's face it, it's about 101% more "life enhancing" and fun doing what you are than being locked back in the rat race of the big city.
I've been away from the pooter for a bit so have'nt caught up on all your news yet, so I'd better get to it.
Take care Jess,
Mal, Wendy and Samara.
Always wanted to sail around the world one day, but between this and that distraction (excuses, escuses etc.,), never got round to it. Will have to look into it more though...and take that leap off the precipice, as that's what it's all about...isn't it...just going for it. You are brave!
Coincidentally, and not wanting to take anything away from your adventure (as if I could), there was a showing here on a UK channel about three weeks ago concerning a school boy doing the around the world trip too. Don't know his name, however, if you are going through anything that he went through, then....WOW...you are brave.
Of course, some will have said that you were foolish, but what would they know...jealous all the way I would imagine.
Keep positive, happy, and face the days ahead with a smile. Rock the world as only you know it, and if you get the chance, give a look in my direction soem time. Wish I was there (and not) if you know what I mean, as it wouldn't be solo then :))
Fair winds
John
just a question: it seems like your current course is taking you almost due south.
why aren't you headed more to the southeast? are you hoping to pick up the westerlies in the far southern latitudes and ride them past cape horn?
thanks for answering if you have the time...
Glad to hear of the usual, a sign things are going smoothly. Just wanted to post a note to you and Ella's Pink Lady to wish you Godspeed, and continued good seas.
Mike
Good to see things are going so well,i had my own little adventure today, got on the wrong bus in Berlin,Germany and ended up in the deepest part of the old East Germany where more Russian than German is spoken quite the adventure and a lovely afternoon really but not a Mangoes in sight,in this part of the world unfortunately, but i will be home in Brissy in a couple of weeks so i will have a fresh one for you.
Stay safe
Red
My name is Pip Walter, I'm a musician and blue
water sailor from Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USA. I
started following your progress while on a trip to
London to visit my daughters. Now I am home again
and I can check your blog everyday! I'll be cheering
you on the whole way and will have a "Jess party"
when you cross my longitude (70w). All the best,
fair winds and seas and Neptune's blessing on you!
Pip
Maine,USA
keep on sailing and keep on blogging
best wishes from Washington DC
Siraj
Great to read and see you videos,you are a inspiration to all.Seems you are having a positive attitude in your adventure.I follow your blogs daily and I continue to be thrilled with your knowledge.
I wish you ''God speed and smooth seas,I used to sail out of Rose Bay in Sydney in the seventies until relocating to the U.S.A.
Keep up the great work,my prayer's are with you daily.
Don't forget pineapples are a good sub when the mangoes run out.
Thanks for your continued updates,I look forward with great interest to your future blogs and videos.
God speed Jessica and safe winds to follow you.
Stephen M.
Transplanted ''Aussie''
in Maryland,USA
I can't blame them - foreign mappers have a long history of leaving dear Tassie off maps - even though it is the 26th largest island in the world and one of the 6 states of Oz (not counting internal Territories - NT & ACT).
Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmania for info on this beautiful island with a long and notorious history and a great sailing tradition - end point of the famous Sydney to Hobart yacht race held annually just after Christmas, and still home to the Tasmanian Devil (the real ~ not the Warner Bros version).
I Look forward to Jesse rounding Tassie next ~May/June? soon before the finish line. [I presume Jess/organisers has chosen not to go through the Bass Strait?]
PS - Australian Geography 102 - for international bloggers the Australian States/internal Territories anticlockwise from Tassie are: Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales*, Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia.
[*plus Australian Capital Territory/includes seperate Jervis Bay Territory both inside but not part of NSW - most Australians don't know about Jervis Bay Territory - JB has the confirmed whitest sand in the world & also worth a visit.] - GT
Are you ever seasick? And how do you deal with that?
I hope you enjoyed your movie night and popcorn, I guess you weren't seasick then.
Stay safe and fair winds.
Henk from Canada who one day hopes to take his family cruising.
I just read about those skeptics who don't believe you're writing the blog yourself. I just can say: try not to think about that kind of people to much!
First of all, people tend to believe only things which about fit into their own horizon. I'm quite certain there's a whole lot out there thinking that your voyage all together is a hoax, some clever scheme of your sponsors or whatever they may come down with as an explanation.
Furthermore this is the web. I've been working with it since its emergence in Germany and it's my experience that time and again you'll meet people there, who just use it to live out their own deficiencies by giving others a bad time simply because they can do so here without consequences.
And then of cause you probably know that you - like anyone else who focusses a certain amount of public attention - will find among all your honest fans and supporters some people with rather curious or even awkward motifs.
After all you KNOW what you're doing, and it's a great thing in itself - so let those disbelievers just behind you in their shallow water.
Good wind and good luck!
Nico
Germany
As a speed camera trainer all I can say is enjoy the open ocean and lack of speed limits. When you get back and start driving and inevitable get caught by a camera remember it is a 'voluntary contribution scheme'.
I was reading an article about the international word of the year the other day and I thought how this could apply to you. 'UNFRIEND' to be removed as a friend from a facebook or similar account. I believe you must be the extreme opposite to this definition at the moment as thousands of people track you and keep you in their thought each day.
A previous winning word was 'HYPERMILER' a person who modifies their vehicle(vessel) or driving habits to gain maximum fuel efficiency and mileage. That definitely applies to your efforts.
A runner up word this year was 'Intexticated' the state of being distracted whilst driving and texting. I hope you don't get into trouble at sea whilst busily blogging inside.
Keep a sharp lookout and may God watch over you always.
Vic from Diddillibah
P.S. I love Mangos. I ate them all the time when I backpacked around the Hawaiian Islands.
Keep going and I knew you were writing your own blogs. It is a pleasure reading good sentence structure from a 16yr old. With texting so big now I wonder if any of your generation are going to know how to spell.
I'll be one of the first to wish you a Merry Christmas given I missed wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving. OH yeah and a Happy New Year too.
Happy thoughts from landlocked Colorado, USA,
Nicole =)
This is sort of your adventure diary so of course you'd want to write it yourself!
I enjoy your descriptions of simple things...I always tell my kids there is beauty to be found nearly everywhere if you only take the time to look.
The image I have in my head of you is like the kid in "Where the Wild things Are" bobbing off in his boat for a year and a day or whatever it was...eight months and a day let's hope! And of course you are a proper young lady, not a kid anymore!
All the best for a top week. : )
Think I'm gonna have that tonight.
I am so curious about your sleep.
You told us you take cat naps here and there...
What is the longest sleep you had so far (without waking up)?
2 hours? 3 hours?
I was wondering you how short sleep can affect your mood and function...
You know one sleep cycle is about 90 minutes, and I think we need at least 90 min. of sleep to refresh our body and soul.
So I thought you might need at least 90 min. of sleep at once...
Could you comment about how your many short sleep is affecting you?
Thanks.
Jon @ Va Beach
Next lesson Acts 2 verse 38Consider the 3 elements of the Plan of Salvation that Peter preached in verse 38; they were
1)_____, 2) forgiveness of sins by _____, 3) and receiving the gift of the _____ ______.
I must admit to being a little taken aback that some would even think of you having a ghost writer. Goes to show that our big world is full of all kinds of people. Trust has certainly taken a battering in most societies over the past few decades and here is another example of those who do not 'trust' even the daily muses of a teenage explorer. Now we don't come across people like you every day so I guess these people may be excused for thinking otherwise. You have simply showed them in the only way you can - by raw honesty - and that's another thing that has eroded modern society. Well done for writing in such a way that 'may' give them a new perspective on life!
I am also curious as to what your plans are for celebrating Chritmas. As for the lights - loved how you used the night sky to reveal the best example for what is beautiful about this season.
Would also love to know what movies you have enjoyed.
Finally, as a previous poster asked so now I am curious too - what do you do with all your rubbish?
I can only imagine how proud your mum and dad must feel. I sent my 18yr old son interstate to university earlier this year and it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Tonight he flies home for the Christmas summer holidays and I can't wait to hold him in my arms again, to have him sleeping under my roof again and eating us out of house and home. That day will come for your mum and dad but not before you have achieved your ultimate dream.
Thank you for allowing us to take this journey with you. God's speed and blessings be upon you.
Monday Monday in AUS and another working week. Glad to see hopefully, you had a relaxing Sunday and that you are still flying along. I hope you have given your sextant a bit of a work out in your quiet moments and that the forthcoming islands won't pose to much of a problem.
More later today
My fingersd are crossed that you have had lots of sleep and that you are trying for another fish!!!!!
Sea ya
Dusty from Dubbo
You are a champ Jesse, who would even think it wasn't you writing these blogs. As you said, having someone else blog for you just wouldn't work.
I'm sure your mum would agree totally, it would be impossible to convey what you are seeing and feeling out there, only you can do that.
And for spell check, I wouldn't be blogging at all, if it wasn't for spell check, it's great.
It's good you have caught up on some sleep, when you get further south, sleeping will be a little tuffer.
You must still be on good beam-reach and if the weather stays kind for a while you will knocking over these miles.
As for the mangoes, enjoy them while you can. We picked our first mango ever from our own tree yesterday, it was fantastic. But I still would prefer to be eating your mangoes out on the ocean doing what you are doing, so keep having fun and keep safe.
Cheers George Simmons
lots of love from Exmouth WA Australia
PS There may time when some bloggers don't like want others have said, we don't want to be arguing between ourselves. If the blog master has put the blog through, that's ok with me. Sometimes when you put pen to paper, it may not come out the you thought in should.
You know what. It never ever ever crossed my mind that it was anybody but you writing your blogs. Just watching your content in your videos and then reading your content makes it VERY obvious that you are the author.
It is really quite uncomfortable in Brisbane today. You are lucky to be where you are; 'the coast' would be more comfortable. I am sitting in front of a fan studying for my exams while the kids are playing in the pool. The humidity is outrageous. I am so hoping for an evening storm to cool us all down. It must be great sailing along not having to worry about school assessments - what I would give ...
Enjoy your aqua plaining and star gazing. Sorry, my spelling is rubbish.
Regards
Bruce